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Lent Bumps 2015: W2 Day Four

Submitted by Chris Quarton on Sun, 01/03/2015 - 14:07

Alas, it wasn't to be. It was windy and we didn't fancy the rowover so we thought we'd sprint off the line and see if we could get Murray Edwards on First Post Reach (after all, everything seems to happen on First Post Reach these days). Unfortunately the dent we made on Murray Edwards wasn't close to the dent Darwin made on us, and they got us (on First Post Reach). The Darwin crew were strong; I think they would have bladed had we not escaped them on day 2.

All in all it's been a good term for W2. Getting on was an achievement in itself and winning the club's only bump this week was nice. In the lowest divisions it is very hard to gain any momentum due to the number of chaotic variables (crabs, gates coming undone, seats coming off...). W2 should be very proud of themselves, particularly those (the majority) who have only been rowing a matter of months. I look forward to W2's triumphant return next term in the Mays!

Lent Bumps 2015 - M1 Day the Second

Submitted by Rob Trivasse on Sat, 28/02/2015 - 00:08

Two days, two bumps….regrettably these are sending us the wrong way along the table.

Our second row up didn’t get off to the greatest start; temporarily misplacing a nervous bladdered rower at the railway bridge. However once found, we set off for the start, a plan to row over in mind. Off the start we had the boat moving fairly rapidly, with Kings making no real ground, unfortunately it wasn’t to last as the slight asynchronicity of our blades began to take its toll. Keen to capitalise, our pursuers pushed us harder than we could respond and so it was we pulled to the side on a somewhat familiar stretch of bank.

Upon return to the warmth of the boathouse, plans were hatched and resolve hardened for the tough day to come.

Lent Bumps 2015 - M1 Day the Third

Submitted by Rob Trivasse on Sat, 28/02/2015 - 00:39

 

The best laid plans of mice and men….

 

So they say anything can happen in Bumps, they say it correctly. As the sun rose on the third day of bumps, we awoke with a firm plan in our heads and fire in our hearts, ready to right the wrongs of the previous outing. Sadly one of our number also awoke with a bothersome pathogen in the stomach. So it was our gallant (and some might say dashing) captain went on the search for non-viral rowers, a challenging task with rowers dropping like flies to disease. When all seemed lost a hero emerged, an old hand at the rowing game stepped up and was counted.

 

Our plan unperturbed by the situation, we went off the line like the proverbial hare, one chance to knock not-so-politely on the stern of Kings or bust. A tortoise however is not the metaphor anyone would use to describe the Robinson crew behind us. Despite a song worthy effort put in by each and every man in the boat, we were simply outmatched and conceded.

 

Although not the outcome we had hoped for, we were again left pleased with the performance we put in, and prepare for whatever the last day of our campaign has in store.


M1 on the row up

Lent Bumps 2015: W1 Day Four

Submitted by Beth Cullimore-Pike on Sat, 28/02/2015 - 18:22

We Spooned.

I guess it was seen. Despite the valiant effort from my girls Pembroke had us at First post.

You could take that as an unsuccessful bumps campaign. You could say we didn’t do very well and weren’t a very good crew. I say the complete opposite. I say that it was one of my favourite bumps campaigns. I have spent a wonderful term with some wonderful girls. We gave it our all! And spoons or not, no one can take that from us!

The row today was short and bitter-sweet. A gutsy start and a short sprint did not hold Pembroke off. Churchill had promised us that they would get them but failed miserably! I think Pembroke had smelt the bump unfortunately.  Cucbc knew something exciting was going to happen as they stationed their chief umpires on our bump pair... probably useful as Pembroke forgot to clear (I think we have this effect on people).

I have to say it was the best row home (of course we didn’t swap cox and stoke or do anything else we shouldn’t....). By this stage it was all about just having a bit of fun. Some well earned booze at the Boat House and some memorable pictures topped off Lent bumps. And now we have BCD to drown our sorrows (I also hear talk of some wooden spoons being purchased).

Lent Bumps 2015: W2 Day Three

Submitted by Chris Quarton on Fri, 27/02/2015 - 21:42

As is so often the way in the lower bumps divisions, we weren't able to carry out our plan today. No matter how good your start or how composed your stride, there is nothing you can do about the girl in the boat two ahead who forgets to do up her gate. I could only look on as the Murray Edwards W2 blade flapped around like a flag of surrender, and Sidney Sussex W2 landed on them. Briony did well to find her way past the Murray Edwards crew who seemed to have as little conviction about which side of the river to clear to as they did about doing their gates up.

In the end it was a solid rowover - the overbump on Queen's W2 was more wishful thinking than anything. Tomorrow we will certainly be looking to claim a second Murray Edwards scalp of the week, but will need to be wary of a fast Darwin crew coming from behind.

Lent Bumps 2015: M2 Day Three

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 27/02/2015 - 19:59

Today, we knew our goal was to row over in front of Clare.

We had a great start, and despite striding to a pretty strong 35, we had shouts from the bank to keep it high and capitalise on our push onto Emma. As it turned out, we kept within station of Emma for our whole row, but Clare began coming up on us, getting their first whistle around first post, and closing to overlap coming into grassy. Today, the kill really worked, and after a fine line by Tash around the corner, we were left with a canvas of breathing room. Clare pushed onto plough reach, but we did a second kill, and again pushed away, more succesfully than yesterday.

As we neared Ditton, the relentless pushing from the stronger Clare crew finally began to overwhelm us, and Anton's (the Clare Boatman's) chiming bell for overlap was our death knell, and we were hit on the exit of the corner.

It was a gutsy row, and we can hold our heads up high.

Tomorrow it's a fast Churchill chasing us. We're ready. I hope they are too.

Lent Bumps 2015: W1 Day Three

Submitted by Beth Cullimore-Pike on Fri, 27/02/2015 - 18:30

Well, we were bumped again...

But on the bright side today was a lot more fun! We made it around Grassy, the furthest yet! And to top it off, Murray Edwards forgot that you have to hold it up and clear the river once you’ve bumped. They decided that it would be a good idea to sit in the middle of the river at grassy corner meaning that the rest of the division was re-rowed.

Bring on the final day! Let’s see what we can do tomorrow! 

Lent Bumps 2015: W1 Day Two

Submitted by Beth Cullimore-Pike on Fri, 27/02/2015 - 09:44

So day two was not meant to be.

A stomach bug meant that the cox couldn’t even get in the boat to push off at the boat house. Luckily the lovey Natasha was able to jump into the boat and save the day and did a valiant effort.

Unfortunately Newnham were faster than us today. We had a clean start and footage from the GoPro on the Bow of the Newnham boat showed a very stable gutsy row.  Unfortunately they were faster than us and a bump was inevitable, but we held them off well and we should be proud for the distance achieved.

Tomorrow holds a new battle. We have Murray Edwards behind who have rowed over in front of Pembroke for two days. They’re going to be hungry to bump, but we will of course give it our all. Let’s see what day three holds!

Bring it on!

Lent Bumps 2015: M2 Day Two

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 27/02/2015 - 00:39

We knew Emma were fast, and it turns out they were too fast.

Our start was reasonable, and we certainly didn't crumble under pressure, but they were soon bearing down on us. They managed to get overlap by the end of the gut, but we held them and began pushing away out of grassy, only to get caught by their push onto plough reach.

They rowed over bottom of M2 as we did yesterday (Pembroke naturally bumping Eddies in front), so we will be chasing them tomorrow. Behind us lies Clare II, a solid crew, but one I believe we can hold off.

Till tomorrow, and another joyous rowover.

FTW. 

Lent Bumps 2015: M2 Day One

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 26/02/2015 - 00:10

We started head at the top of the third division.

Going into a race knowing the best you can do is row-over is tough, but we'd spent all term preparing for this moment. We knew we were a match for Hughes behind, and this proved to be the case. We had a strong start, and soon pushed away. Coming round grassy, a fast Emma II two back bumped up on Hughes, and Clare bumped up on Peterhouse II four back, leaving a big gap between us and the crews below. We strode down to 32, and kept strong but efficient through to the end, saving ourselves for the next race to follow.

Our reward was a free shot at Pembroke II in the M2 division. We knew they were fast. We also knew they were chasing Christs who were less fast, but Christs was chasing St Edmund's, who were less fast again. This was going to be an interesting race, and there was serious talk of a potential overbump. Alas, the bumps gods didn't look favourably on us, and there was a 3 boat merge, as Christs hit Eddies just before Pembroke hit Christs, giving Pembroke a technical row-over, and us without a target.

We finished at a leisurely rate, leaving some energy for tomorrow... It'll be a big day. Time to push off Emma II like we did in Mays.

FTW.